showcase WILLMAR -- Roger and Doug Kodet, are being inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame during a banquet and induction ceremony Friday at Turner Halle in New Ulm.
The other 2010 inductees are Dick Kimmel of New Ulm, Gary Rue of St. Paul, Andrews Sisters of Mound, the Minnesota Chorale of Minneapolis...
Willmar, 56201

Willmar Minnesota 2208 Trott Ave. SW / P.O. Box 839 56201

2012-11-30 12:15:51

WILLMAR -- Roger and Doug Kodet, are being inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame during a banquet and induction ceremony Friday at Turner Halle in New Ulm.

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The other 2010 inductees are Dick Kimmel of New Ulm, Gary Rue of St. Paul, Andrews Sisters of Mound, the Minnesota Chorale of Minneapolis and the late Keith Reese.

A graduate of Morton High School, Roger Kodet worked at the Farm Credit office in Redwood Falls. His younger brother Doug, a Redwood Falls High School graduate, was a band director and school administrator for many years in various school districts across southern Minnesota.

Both are now retired. Roger and his wife, Mary, live on Lake Andrew, near New London. Doug and his wife, Rosemary, live in Fairmont.

The two brothers were part of a band, "Roger Kodet and The Cards," formed in 1959. The band played modern and old-time music, working at ballrooms throughout a three-state area, including the major ballrooms in the Twin Cities.

SOMA Records officials asked the band to record an album of old-time music in 1960. The album, "A Stacked Deck," reportedly became a favorite of Boone and Erickson, the early-morning broadcasting team at WCCO-Radio.

While still playing dance dates, the band did remote radio broadcasts on weekends from various ballrooms in the Twin Cities and outstate, and in 1961 began to do television shows on Monday nights from KEYC-TV in Mankato. The "Bandwagon" shows on KEYC-TV were reportedly very popular and the band was featured on a regular basis.

Both Kodet brothers started with playing the trumpet and then learned to play other instruments, including the saxophone and clarinet.

While in college at Mankato, Doug began to work with other bands including several major Minnesota bands. Roger continued leading and directing the "The Cards" orchestra from 1959 until 1986 after which he continued to work with other musical groups.

Roger Kodet still performs for music events throughout the west central area.

The Minnesota Music Hall of Fame originated to honor musicians, both past and present, who have contributed significantly to the Minnesota music scene. Its museum is located at First North Street and Broadway in New Ulm. Memorabilia of individual musicians and musical groups as well as photographs of all who have been inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, dating back to the first inductees in 1989, may be seen and appreciated at a nominal fee of $3. The museum is open every from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.